College
by nealfireliveson
Summary: College is obviously an AU. There was no curse, or enchanted forest. It's set in this world; no fairy tales, magic, and maybe happy endings. Neal Cassidy has been running from his past for years and meets Emma Swan and Regina Mills at college with his best friend Robin Hood in tow. Please give it a chance, I'm not good with summaries
1. Chapter 1

Emma Nolan and Regina Mills had never been friends. They grew up in the same neighborhood, elementary school, high school, and now they went to the same college. Their parents couldn't stand each other. Mary Margaret and David Nolan were kind to everyone including their next door neighbors, Henry and Cora Mills. Cora was not a kindly woman. She couldn't stand the Nolan's.

Neal Cassidy and Robin Hood had been best friends since they met in kindergarten. They were in the same apartment building, baseball team, football team, elementary school and high school. Richard Gold and his ex wife Michele Cassidy got divorced before Neal was born. He took her name and went to his dad. Richard had remarried the local librarian, Belle French. Robin's mother died during his brother's birth and his father, Derek Hood, worked at the nypd.

Emma and Regina both went to Harvard for college. Emma majored in criminal justice while Regina majored in politics. Emma wanted to be a cop, like her father. Regina wanted to be mayor of the small town they lived in, called Storybrooke.

Robin went to Harvard as well and majored in criminal justice. He had a second major of physiology. Neal got into Harvard as well. He majored in criminal justice and law. Robin wanted to be a physiologist for the local police department. Neal wanted to be a detective for the NYPD. he and Robin lived in Manhattan, New York.

Robin and Neal checked in at their assigned location and found out they were roommates. They said goodbye to Neal's parents, who had brought them out there and went up to their room. They boys unpacked and relaxed until they heard a knock at the door. Neal put down his superman comic and answered the door. He smiled. A black haired woman stood in front of him with a scowl on her face.

"Would you mind switching rooms with me? I can't stand my roommate." She said.

"I'm afraid I can't switch with you. Guys with guys and girls with girls. Besides, my roommate is a jock. He's annoying as hell." Neal said jokingly as Robin joined him at the door.

"Shut up. At least I don't read superman comic when I'm eighteen." Robin said.

"You're a nerd? My roommate and you would get along great. She's annoying and she'll talk your ear off. You can read all you want and ignore her." Regina said and put her hands on her hips.

"Neal Cassidy. And I already have that. Robin here never shuts up about sports or anything. Sports or physiology."

"Regina Mills. Yeah, I'll just stick with the cops then."

Robin walks back to lay on his bed and stare at the newest issue of play boy magazine. Neal looked at Regina.

"How about you and I go check out campus and you can tell me all about this roommate of yours?" Neal asked and Regina nodded.

"Alright. I'll meet you downstairs in five minutes." With that she left to go back to her room. She opened the door to find Emma reading a book of fairy tales her father gave her.

"Good news. There's another nerd across the hall. You two will get along great." Regina said sarcastically.

"At least my mother didn't have to buy my way in."

"Because a softball scholarship is such a big achievement." Regina said even more sarcastically.

Emma rolled her eyes and put her book down. "Look, we're stuck with each other until one of us can switch. We might as well try to be nice to each other for the time being." Emma said and went back to her book.

Regina grabbed her phone and purse before leaving the room. She went down the stairs and saw Neal leaning against the wall smiling at her. She smiled back and they started walking around campus. Neal acted as though he knew this place like the back of his hand. She looked at him and smiled wider.

"Have you been here before?" She asked.

He laughed slightly and shook his head. "As a student, no. My papa and I used to come out here often when he was dating my step-mother. She was a student here then."

"Oh. Where are you from?"

"Manhattan. Born in a small town called Storybrooke though. My mother still lives there,"

"That's where I was born and raised. My parents run Mill's pawn."

He nodded. "I know. My papa owns a small pawn shop back home. Gold's. He does a lot of deals with your parents."

She laughed slightly. "That's quite ironic. You're Richard's son?"

He nodded again. "Yes, ma'am. I'm nothing like him though. I can't stand pawn shops, honestly. I'd rather be out doing something all day then just standing there."

"Me as well. What are you majoring in?"

"Criminal justice and law. I wanna be a detective for the NYPD."

She smiled and nodded. "I'm majoring in politics. I want to be mayor in Storybrooke."

"Why Storybrooke? You would have my vote in New York, that's for sure."

She laughed. "I've never been a big city girl. I mean New York is amazing, but still."

"Here's an advantage to New York, I'm there."

She laughed again and shook her head. "So tell me about your family."

"I've got two brothers. Ricky, he's fourteen and and Michael is three. My step-mom is pregnant again, three months. We all believe that family is everything and without it no matter how much money you have, you aren't rich. What about you?"

"I've got a brother who is thirteen. His name is Henry junior. We are the complete opposite of your family. Money and fame is everything. I hate it, to be honest."

He took and squeezed her hand gently. "Yeah, well we can't all have good families, I guess."

"Yeah that's for sure." She smiled and squeezed his hand back.

They walked around campus for a couple hours and went back to their dorms when it was dark out. He walked her to his room and she gave him his jacket back as he had given it to her when it got cold. She asked for his phone and he gave it to her. She put her number in and handed it back.

"Call me sometime, Neal. Maybe we can meet for lunch for something."

"Yeah, I would like that. Goodnight, Regina."

"Goodnight, Neal." She went into her dorm room and Emma looked at her from her laptop.

"How was the date?"

"It wasn't a date and that's none of your business." She said.

"His roommate came over. He's really cool. He's gonna be on the football team here. Gonna take us to finals too.." She was going to continue talking before regions cut her off.

"I honestly don't care, Nolan. I just want to go to sleep so I can get up on time tomorrow and go tinny classes." Regina got her pajamas and went to the bathroom to change.

Neal walked back to his apartment and saw robin still looking at play boy.

"Close your mouth before you choke on a fly." Neal said as he got his clothes to change. Robin looked at him.

"You're just jealous you would never be able to land a girl like her." Robin pointed to a picture and Neal looked at it.

He knew that woman. It was Michele, his mother.

Neal and Regina laid down while their roommates stared at magazines and fell asleep. Both wasted nothing more then to pass college. Both had dreams about each other that they would probably never admit.

Robin and Emma both went to bed at one am after having stared at the opposite sex in magazines. Neither really focused on what to do this year or later. They only knew they liked one another.


	2. Chapter 2

**Authors note**

**So I honestly wasn't expect some of the reviews I recieced and I would like to clear something's up. First of all, in this story, Robin won't be a cheater, nor end up with Emma. It is a swanthief and outlawqueen story. Second, if you don't like my story, don't read and don't comment. Keep your opinions to yourself. I don't need to hear that you think hook is better, because that's you wasting your own time. Why even bother commenting on a story that is mainly tagged swanthief? Third of all, love takes time and people make mistakes when it comes to love, so for now, Neal and Emma aren't together. I did in fact tag the story correctly. Lastly, this is an AU story(obvisouly) and I might not have been clear. Yes, guest, I'm aware Storybrooke is in Maine and not New York. I figured that to be common knowledge so I didn't say so. I don't believe anywhere did I say Storybrooke is in New York. Im not the best writer, so this story won't be perfect. If you expect perfection in my dialogue or how I write, I highly suggest you don't read any of my stories. So please leave reviews and follow if you like it. Feel free to pm me with any ideas or something you would like to see and I'll take it into consideration. This story will continue as long as people still like it. So thank you very much and enjoy. **

**-author**

College was going well for Neal, Regina and Emma. Robin, not so much. Over the past three months, Regina and Neal had started dating and Emma had her eye on Robin.

Neal and Emma were in the same criminal justice class and were assigned to work together on a project. Each group was assigned a certain piece of gear and they had to work together to write up a report on it and be able to present evidence of having used it. Neal and Emma were assigned the badge and the gun.

They were in Emma's dorm room working. He had his laptop out, looking through different websites about gun safety and gun use. Emma looked up different badges for different states. She had an old badge cover of her fathers so she took out the photo and signature. She had Neal take her picture and insert it while she signed it.

Neal went back to work on gun research until he got a text from Regina. He smiled looking at it and that didn't go unnoticed by Emma.

"Girlfriend text you?" She said and rolled her eyes.

"Yeah, she did. Not really any of your concern though, sheriff Nolan." He said sarcastically and looked at the photo she had sent him. It was a photo of her brother, Henry, wearing a badge on his hip standing out front of the school.

He got back to work while Emma studied his actions. They had to have proof of using their items too.

"You wanna go down to the firing range for our evidence for his class?" She asked.

He looked up and nodded. "Yeah, sure. There's a guy I know down there, get a discount. You ever fired a gun?"

She shook her head. "No, actually. I have a license but my dad would never take me with him."

"Well, I'll just have to teach you. Not all that hard. My buddy will probably be willing to act so you can use your badge."

She smirked and grabbed her jacket from the closet. He closed up his laptop and got his jacket off the floor.

"I'll be right back. Meet me downstairs." He got up and left, going back to his dorm across the way. He went into his closet and found a silver case he kept there. He opened it to make sure all the contents where there before going downstairs.

They walked together to her car and drove over without a word. It was awkward to say the least but neither really knew each other. Neal met up with his friend billy and got the video Emma needed for the badge evidence.

Neal finally opened his case while billy helped Emma with a safety vest. First timers always had to where one here. He pulled out a body holster and put it on, inserting the gun by his chest and the ammo on the other side.

Emma looked at him. He looked tougher then usual with that gun on his body. Less of a nerd and more of a hero. She watched him close the case and hang a pair of muffled head phones around his neck. He closed up his case and put it in a locker along with his phone and jacket. He took hers and put it there too.

They left the locker room and he helped her find a black hand gun that would work for the day. They went to the firing range and he set her up in one of the boxes they used. He took the gun from her and showed her how to load it. He put his head phones up and showed her how to aim. He put his left foot back and bent his knee slightly. He rested his head just barely on his arm and closed his left eye as he stared at the target. He fired the gun and she jumped. He had hit a bullseye.

She stepped up to where he just was and loaded the gun as he had showed her. She stood stiff as a board as she stared at the target that had to be a good hundred fifty feet away. He came up behind her when she held the gun up and rested her head on her arm. He lifted her head gently just enough and covered her left eye with his hand. He pushed her knee down gently with his foot and squared her shoulders. He pulled up her head phones and squared her head. He put his hand on gun over top of hers and helped her steady it. She fired and hit the bullseye. She turned to him and smiled.

The two repeated the same steps until she didn't need his help. He went to the next box and started firing his own gun. Billy videoed the two firing for their class. When she was out of ammo, they packed up and left.

They went back to her car and she glanced at him.

"So you have your gun at school, huh?"

"Took a lot to get it there, but yeah, I do. They let me keep it there as long as I have the right permits and keep it hidden. Not even Robin knows where it is."

She nodded and glanced at him again. "I feel like I hardly know you even though you're probably banging my roommate by now."

"First of all, Regina and I haven't slept together yet. We're careful with our relationship. And why do you even care about me? I'm just your partner for this one assignment."

"I care because you're right across the way from me and you own a gun."

"What do you wanna know?"

"Why do you keep a gun at school?"

"I had a stalker for years so I keep this puppy around so that doesn't happen again. I've been assaulted too. Same person.." He'd never really opened up to anyone like this. Not even his step-mother or brothers.

"That sucks. What about your family? What are they like?"

"I've got two brothers, my papa and my step-mother. Ricky and Michael. Fourteen and three. Papa's name is Richard Gold and step mothers name is Belle Gold. I took my mothers last name of Cassidy even though she isn't around a lot. Michele. She lives in Storybrooke too."

"Oh.. Wait. You're Michele Cassidy's son?"

He nods. "Yeah."

"Doesn't she model in play boy and stuff?"

"Yes, she does and Robin is obsessed with her. Bethany Whisper."

"Now I understand why you read comic books over play boy and stuff like that."

"Superman isn't that slutty."

"Not at all."

He looked at her. "Wanna grab some burgers or something and call it quits for tonight?"

She nodded. "Sure. Sounds fine." So she drove them to a fast food joint and they ordered. Neal pulled out his wallet and paid for the both of them without a second thought.

She glanced at him from across the table. He was kinda cute, but she was never good with boys or friends. He seemed pretty nice. Too nice to be with Regina Mills, that was for sure. She smiled a toothy grin and looked back down at her own burger. She wanted him to be with one girl, and one girl only, her.

He took him back to his dorm and he invited her in for a couple minutes to discuss what they had left. He opened the door to the dorm room and his eyes widened at what he saw.

Regina and Robin making out on Neal's bed...


	3. Chapter 3

College- chapter three

Regina pulled away when she heard the door slam. She looked at Neal and Emma. She was half as shocked as Neal was.

Emma looked at Neal and saw his jaw practically on the floor. To be fair, she was shocked too. In the years she'd known Regina, she never saw her as a cheater. Especially not on a guy as good as Neal.

"Neal, baby, I can explain."

"Get out! Both of you!" He yelled.

Robin looked at Regina and smirked. "Come on. We'll finish this somewhere else." Neal glared as the two left hand in hand.

He'd never expected his friend to do something like that. Robin could have any girl he wanted, Neal... He had trouble with women. He was awkward, scared and down right nervous.

Emma watched as Neal angrily stripped his bed and changed the sheets. He dug through a container in his desk and came out with a silver lighter with a star on it. He grabbed a bunch of Robin's sexist magazines, most with his mother posing inside. He held them over the waist bin and lit them, dropping them.

"Neal..." She said.

He ignored her and went into the closet. He changed into a pair of jeans, a white tee shirt and a red plaid shirt he right in front of Emma who checked him out while he did so. He looked as though he worked out some before.

She thought he had a nice body, better than a lot of the guys she'd seen before. She had never been with many guys before, but he was the most well toned she'd seen. It kind of turned her own, but she would never admit that.

He saw her lean against the doorframe while he burned Robin's stuff. He laid down on his own bed and looked at her, sighing softly.

"Can I say I told you so?" Emma said.

He glared at her. "Not. Funny."

"So I guess you and Regina are through."

"No, really. Thank you, captain obvious, I didn't know that. I thought we were still together and going strong." He said sarcastically.

She sat on the edge of his bed and ran her fingers through his hair gently. It was soft and fluffy. He seemed like one of those men who care about his appearance enough to look nice but not obsess over it. She noticed that every day he dressed in a collar shirt for classes. No other guy on campus really did except him. He was always ready to answer questions in class and took notes on his computer, and then wrote them in a note book.

"Robin expressed an interest in you once. You're welcome."

She looked at him. "What do you mean you're welcome? Why stop him if he liked me? Clearly you didn't."

"We played baseball together as kids. We practiced by the softball team. All the girls called him the virginity thief. I was the base thief."

"Virginity thief?"

"He slept with about a third of the girls on the softball team. Coach even gave him the number sixty nine."

"Wow. Did he get any of them pregnant?"

"There was one. Marian. He doesn't even go around to see his son. I do and always give her cash. I told him her father was gonna beat him up. He didn't, he beat up me."

"Was she the only one?"

"That kept the baby, yeah."

"My dad would murder him if it was me."

"He wouldn't murder Robin, he would murder me. I'm the one who always gets it."

"You seem like a nice guy though.."

"Let's just say Robin likes to abuse our friendship. He would protect me from torture at school and I would help him." He rolled up his sleeve and showed her a scar. "Marian's father. Steak knife. Fourteen stitches."

"God that's awful."

"Yeah. But even if your father did murder me, just another two lives wasted. Robin always convinces the girl to get an abortion. All but Marian."

"He sounds like an asshole. Why stay friends with him?"

"He is. I... Have issues talking to girls and stuff. Don't have many friends and most people think I'm gay. Kinda helps to have him around." He shrugged. "Look, if you ever need to escape them being... Whatever. Just come here."

She smiled. "Thanks, same to you... Why do they think you're gay?"

"Because I care about how I look and keep my place clean. I worry about color scheme and stuff. My dad taught me a lot. Working in his shop, appearance was everything. You have to look good in order to sell sometimes. That requires matching a suit jacket with a tie or a shirt with it." He moved over and she laid down next to him. He rolled over so he was facing the wall.

She looked at the back of his head and gently ran her hand through his short hair again. She liked the feeling of it. She smiled slightly, hearing his breathing even out. She was in love. Cupid finally shot her in the ass and she was falling hard for her enemies ex.

Neal woke in the morning to find her asleep in his bed. She was beautiful, peaceful in her sleep. He didn't see Robin, so he assumed he was still busy with Regina. Neal shook Emma's shoulder gently

"Emma.."

She slowly but surely woke. "Yeah?"

"You gotta get up. We have class later. Plus, I wanna take you to breakfast."

She smiled and both got ready to go about their days


	4. Chapter 4

Emma left early and both tried to avoid each other. He was afraid he scared her off and she was afraid he didn't mean it. Neal got Robin to take Regina out some place. He just laid on his bed and stared up at the wall. What he wouldn't give to be back at home with his parents, brothers and soon enough, baby sister. He just wanted to be away from Robin and Regina. He wanted to be away from Emma Nolan so he wouldn't embarrass himself anymore. He'd never felt like he did about anyone else. He felt like she was the one. His family believed that you only find one person who you can truly love for eternity and give all of your love and support no matter what.

Emma laid in bed in her dorm and stared at the ceiling. Her mother had texted last night and said when she came home to feel free and bring her boyfriend as they wanted to meet him. She didn't have one to do so though. She had been jealous of Regina for managing to catch a man such as Neal. He was handsome, smart and funny. He made a woman feel like she's supposed to and not some tool. She had had her eye on him for a while now. She had never been jealous of Regina mills in the long time she had known her. Emma had dated many a guy in high school but none acted as civil as Neal Cassidy. No man made her literally lost for words with simply a look or a smile.

She finally found the courage to get up and go over to his dorm door. She knocked on the door and waited for him to answer. He opened the door a couple minutes later with a towel around his neck. He smelt like he had been working out. He had sweat beads in his hair and on his forehead. He smiled. "Hey."

"Hey. We need to talk. Do you remember what you said last night?"

"Yeah, I remember. Remember perfectly, actually."

"Did you mean what you said about loving me?"

He looked down and bit his lip. "I don't say things I don't mean. I already know Regina is a bitch, but I keep coming. I like you. I have since I first laid eyes on you."

"Get a shower and come over in an hour. You're taking me out tonight."

He smiled and nodded. That night they went to a fancy restaurant and ate. He kissed her that night as well.

Neal and Emma had been dating for over six months when they decided to take a walk one day. He said some sweet things and they ended up giving up their virginity to each other with absolutely mind blowing sex. They went several rounds together until they were too tired to continue. Emma went back to her own dorm.

That became their thing they did every other Friday when Regina and Robin went out to a movie and dinner.

After about two months, Emma began to feel off but thought nothing of it. She and Neal went on a walk as always. He squeezed her hand and smiled.

"I really love you, you know that right?"

She smiled and nodded. "Yeah, I know. I love you too... What would you do if you never met me?"

"Gee, I don't know, Em. Probably not have sex. Bowl more." He shrugged. "Look for someone like you."

She blushed and looked down. "Good thing you won't have to anymore."

"I wouldn't want to anyway."

Robin and the new guy, Colin, came over to Emma and Neal. They gagged Neal and Colin held Emma back. Robin started to drown Neal in the nearest fountain on campus.

Emma was crying as she watched the love of her life being drowned before her very eyes. "Stop! Please, Robin, stop!" She was yelling. Neal stop thrashing and Emma just sobbed. Colin and Robin ran off. Another student came and pulled Neal out and quickly started CPR on him. Emma was on her knees just sobbing and calling Neal's name.

An ambulance came and got Neal. Emma went with him and refused to let go of his hand the whole time. His family came out quickly and she didn't leave until three am that night.

The doctors had done everything they could for Neal and he was in a coma.

After two days of constantly sitting in the hospital and getting sick, she scheduled herself an appointment to find out what was wrong with her. She sat on the examination table uncomfortably and waited for the doctor to return with the results of her blood test. She was so nervous that she would fidget, kicking her legs or twaddling her thumbs. Tapping her fingers and crossing and uncrossing her legs.

The doctor came back in after what seemed an hour but was really only fifteen minutes. She had a seat on the stool and looked at Emma, smiling sweetly.

"Well, good news Ms. Swan, you're not ill." At this Emma bit her lip. Conversations like this always ended in you're terminally ill or something like that.

"Then what am I, dying?"

The doctor laughed slightly. "No, no. Of course not, miss Swan. You're pregnant. You are expecting a baby."

Emma's jaw dropped. That never even crossed her mind. Sure, she wanted kids, but she wanted to finish college, get a job and get married first. She wanted to have her child or children in her late twenties, not late teens. She was only eighteen, she would be nineteen when the baby was born. She didn't even know if Neal wanted kids. She thought he would because come on, he's Neal.

She nodded slowly. "Well then... My boyfriend will be quite shocked to say the least."

"That seems to be the normal trend when people find out their pregnant." Her doctor gave her a lot of information on pregnancy and such. She gave her a good sized bottle of prenatal vitamins. The doctor left the room so Emma could get dressed.

Honestly, Emma was terrified. First, she had her baby's father in the hospital in a coma. Then she would have to deal with her parents and his, which she'd only met once and wasn't really paying attention at the time. And finally, she was in college for God sake. She would have to give up her scholarship and future so she could raise her baby. There was no way she would give it up.

She went back to Neal's room and sat in her normal chair, finally aware it wasn't just the two of them and an occasional nurse. It's was them, and their baby, inside her. It was just Neal, her, and her approximately nine week old baby.

Nine weeks... That meant they'd sleep together another four times after their baby was conceived. What if he hurt the baby? He was somewhat big. What if she did something and it hurt the baby? She didn't drink often but didn't eat well, that was for sure. She took some different medicines for her apparent morning sickness as well. She laid her head on his chest and cried on him.

He woke to a weight on his chest and started coughing. He saw Emma look up at him and smile, tears in her eyes. She sobbed and kissed him deeply, wrapping her arms around his neck. He pulled away first, so he could have another coughing fit. Neal wiped her tears away.

"Hey, beautiful." Neal said weakly. He moved over in the bed and patted the spot beside him.

She crawled up next to you and wrapped her arms around him, resting her chin on his shoulder. "I thought you weren't gonna wake up..."

He turned his head to look at her before taking her arms off him and pulling her into his lap. "No, baby. I will always wake up for you. Always."

She cringed when he said the word baby. "Good because I need you here with me. I love you."

"I love you too." He pressed his lips to her forehead for a moment. "What did I miss in the past week?"

Emma bit her lip and ran her hand through his hair. "Not a lot with school.."

"Has my family been out?"

"Yeah, your mom and dad came out. They had to go back though because of his shop."

Neal nodded, disappointed. "Alright... Why were you so upset earlier?"

She sighed and looked at him for a while. "I'm... Pregnant." Tears filled her eyes as she stared at him, his expression not changing. She buried her head in the crock of his neck. "I'm sorry."

"I'm leaving..." he said but Emma interrupted the rest of his sentence.

"What...?" She looked at him. "You can't leave me, Neal. I need you... Please, don't leave me..."

"I'm leaving school. We'll get an apartment near there," he laid his hand on her still flat stomach, "when the kid's born, I'll drop out and take care of him."

She shook her head. "No, Neal, I can't make you do that. I can't do that to you. You've always wanted to go to college and become a cop." She had more tears streaming down her face rapidly.

"Yeah, I have always wanted to be a cop, but I've also always wanted to be a father. I would give up any job if it meant I could be a father. You have more promise then I do in being a cop. Plus, you're on scholarship, I'm not."

She tried to wipe her tears, but they just kept flowing. "I love you..."

"I love you too." He wiped away her tears with the pad of his thumb before lifting her shirt slightly and kissing her stomach. "I love you too, buddy."

She let out a watery laugh. "I hope he looks just like you."

"Oh, so now we're excited?" He said sarcastically.

She rolled her eyes. "I hope it's a boy."

"Oh yeah, I hope it's a girl. A girl just as beautiful as her mother."

"I guess we'll find out in sevenish months."

He smiled. "Already two months along, huh?"

She nodded and kissed him again.


End file.
